Abdominal supporter.



No. 832,279. PATENTED OCT. 2, 1906.

V. L. S'MOGK.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, 1906.

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VIRA LARENA SMOCK, OF MARYVILLE, MISSOURI.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2, 1906.

Application filed February 13, 1906. Serial No. 300.897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIRA LARENA SMooK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maryville, in the county of Nodaway and State of Missouri, have invented certain new adaptability and elasticity, whereby the same can be worn with the greatest comfort by the patient, while at the same time readily adapting itself to all movements of the body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporter of this character wherein there is a complete absence of metal parts and a wide range of adjustability, so that the same can be made to conform accurately to the actual shape of the body, and also may be so adjusted that a greater degree of pressuremay be imposed upon a certain portion of the anatomy as the conditions of the case may require without losing the firmness of the supporters fit upon the body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporter having front or anterior pads so constructed as not to add to or distort the natural form,while at the same time so shaped and disposed as to provide the necessary compress for the abdomen and the organs contained therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for securing a supporter upon the body and preventing displacement thereof, and also providing a novel form of posterior or back pad designed to afford a strong support for the spine and uniformly dispersing the strain on the delicate spinal cord.

With these and other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

The essential features of the invention involved in carrying out the objects above indicated are necessarily susceptible to structural change without departing from the scope of the invention; but a preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ab dominal supporter, the dotted lines indicating the applied position thereof. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the supporter. Fig. 3 is an inner face view of the posterior bracing-pad. Fig. 4 is an inner face view of one of the front a s. p Like references designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the present invention the same embodies in its general organization a pair of oppositely-disposed front pads 1 1, adapted to be placed at the front of the body over the abdominal cavity at the point where.

it is required to place a brace for supporting purposes. The front pads 1 are arranged with their inner edges in proximal spaced relation and are permanently connected together by a plurality of flexible elastic connecting-webs 2, which preferably connect the front pads contiguous to their top and bottom edges and at an intermediate point, said elastic connecting-webs greatly contributing to the pliancy and adaptability of the front pads, While at the same time holding them in proper relative positions. Each of the front pads 1 is of an approximately triangular form and is provided with an inner padded face 3, constituting a soft cushion-pad for contact with the body. To provide for the harness connections therewith, each of the front pads 1 is provided at or near the top edge thereof with a top fastening member 4, preferably consisting of a buckle loosely hung in a buckle-loop stitched or otherwise secured to the front facing of the pad. At the extreme lower end of each pad the latter has secured therein a flexible holder tab 6, preferably consisting of a looped piece of leather or fabric provided therein with a pair of holding-eyelets 7. Also each front pad is provided on its outer side with a fixed fastening-stud 8, designed for a purpose to be presently explained.

Cooperating with the front pads 1 is a single posterior bracing-bad 9, designed to be arranged at the back of the body and preferably of an elongated oblong form so that the same may be well adapted to the lower end of the spinal column so as to form a support therefor. The posterior bracing-pad is of a narrow lon shape and projects to a greater height on t e body than the front pads. To secure a thorough bracing effect, the posterior pad is stiffened longitudinally by a plurality of stiffening-stays secured therein, and at the lower end the fabric pad 9 has securely stitched at the outer side thereof a transverse base-piece 11, preferably made of a fairly-stout leather strip and provided with end extensions 12, projecting beyond the plane of the side edges of the pad 9, and each of which end extensions has secured therein a looped piece of leather or equivalent fabric 18, constituting a flexible pendent holder-tab which is provided therein with a pair of holdingeyelets 14, corresponding to the eyelets 7 of the holder-tabs 6 of the front pads. The said holder-tabs 6 and 18 are designed to constitute oints of adjustable connection for the flexible and elastic leg-cords 15, which are designed to be passed between the pa tients limbs. The cords preferably consist of len ths of rubber tubing, and the front end of eac cord is laced through the holdingeyelets 7 of the tabs 6 of one front pad, whi e the rear end of the same cord is laced through the eyelets of the complemental tab 13 of the posterior pad 9. The frictional grip of the cord ends within the eyelets 7 and 14 securely holds the same in its adjusted position. When adjusted, the said cords 15 hold the supporter down and prevent upward displacement thereof.

The supporter is held properly about the body by the upper and lower elastic bodybands 16 and 17, respectively, which are maintained in proper relative horizontal planes through the medium of suitably-located inelastic band-connectors 18, extending across the space between the two bands and permanently secured at their ends thereto. The upper band 16 is permanently connected with the posterior pad 9 at a point intermediate the top and bottom thereof and the front terminals of the upper band adjustably secured in the fastening members or buckles 4 of the front pads. Diagonal bracestrips 19 extend from the top edge of the posterior pad 9 to the upper band 16 and are connected to the latter at points between the front and posterior pads. The lower band 17 extends continuously across the posterior pad at the bottom edge thereof and carries the adjustable front coupling-straps 20, provided at the terminals with the connecting loops or members 21, which detachably engage over the fastening-studs 8 upon the front pads. Buckles 22 on the band 17 provide for the adjustable connection of the strap with said band.

I claim An abdominal supporter comprising a pair of spaced elastically-connected front pads provided at their lower ends with eyeleted tabs, a stiffened posterior pad of greater height than the front pads and projecting above the horizontal plane thereof, said posterior pad being provided at its lower end with a transverse base-piece having end extensions projecting beyond the posterior pad and provided with pendent eyeleted holdertabs, an upper body-band connected with the posterior pad between the top and bottom edges thereof, and adjustably connected with the upper ends of the front pads, bracestrips extending from the upper end of the posterior pad to intermediate points on the upper band, a lower body-band connected with the base-piece of the posterior pad and having adjustable connections with the lower ends of the front pads, and flexible leg-cords sligable in the eyelets of the front and rear ta s.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VIRA LARENA SMOCK.

Witnesses:

W. C. FRANK, GEORGE W. PARTRIDGE. 

